Hydraulic interval timer



Jan. 10, 1956 G. A. BURRIS HYDRAULIC INTERVAL TIMER Filed Nov. 9, 1953 nmmmw INVENTOR.

6len0A.BmlIs ATTORNEYS 2,730,354 HYDRAULIC INTERVAL TIMER Glenn A. Burris, Bayside, Calif. Application November 9, 1953, Serial No. 391,067

4 Claims. cram-4 This invention relates to timing devices wherein a fluid is instantly drawn through a valve in a mechanical movement and wherein the return of the fluid is controlled to regulate the return action of the mechanical movement.

The purpose of this invention is to provide. means for accurately timing automatic action such as the action of a single knife veneer clipper, paper clippers, candy cutters, punch presses, and the like.

In numerous instances such as in the operation of clippers for veneer for plywood it is difiicult to accurately time the operation of the clippers. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a timer using liquid or other fluid as the controlling agent in which liquid is drawn through a valve from an upper reservoir to a cylinder by a piston in the cylinder in one movement of a knife or clipper and in the return movement the fluid is forced through a valve. in a bypass whereby the valve is adapted to be setto control the time required for the fluid to return to the reservoir.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an interval timer wherein the cycle of operation of the timer is regulated by a needle valve through which fluid of the timer passes in one step of the operation of the timer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid actuated timer in which the movement of the member of the timer in one direction is substantially unrestricted and wherein the return movement of the same member is controlled by the flow of fluid through a needle valve or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid actuated timer in which the timer is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies avertically; disposed tube having a storage chamber in the upper ejndfa valve in the intermediate portion and a cylinder extended downwardly below the valve, a piston having. a piston rodextended therefrom slidably mounted in the cylinder'positioned below the valve, and a bypass connection havinga. valve therein extended from the reservoir to the cylinder.

Other features and advantages ot'the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l'is a plan'view of the improved'hydraulic interval timer.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the timer taken on line 2--2 of Fig. l, with parts of the device being broken away.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the timer taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 showing the opening through a valve in the intermediate portion of the device, the parts of said device being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 illustrating the needle valve of the bypass of the timer.

nited States Patent 2,730,354 Patented Jan. 10, 19 56 Figure 5 is a side elevational view. of the timer, with parts of the device being broken away.

Figure 6is a view similar to that shown in Figure 4, with the parts shown on a reduced scale, illustratingrthe timer with the cylinder in a horizontally disposed position- Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved bydraulicinterval timer of this invention includes a valve body 10' having a bypass 11 with a valve 12 therein extended around'a valve seat 13; an upper tube 14 connected to and extended upwardly from the valve body, a lower tube 15 providing a cylinder 16 extended downwardly from the valveb'ody, a piston 17 positioned in the cylinder and urgedupwardly by a spring 18, the piston having a piston rod 19' extended through a packing gland 2 0 in a cap 21 on the lower end of the cylinder or tube' 15.

The valve body 10 is provided with a spider formed with a hub 22 supported by webs or arms 23, the arms beingcomparatively thin providing enlarged openings 24, the area of the three openings provided between the webs or ribs being. greater than the internal area of the lower part of the valve body whereby with a valve member 25 positioned in the valve in the open position fluid in a reservoir 26in the upper tube 14 is free to travel downwardly instantly with the piston 17 whereby. the device is adapted to operate with a quick movement such as at the rate of 3 times per second.

The valve member 25 is provided with a stem 27 that is slidably mounted in the hub 22 and the valve is held upwardly in theclosed position, as shown in Fig. 2, by a spring 28 that is positioned between the upper end of thejhub. 22 and aunt 219, that is threaded on the end of the stem. By this means the tension of the spring 28 is adjustable whereby the .valve member 25 is resiiiently urged against theseat 13 with suiiicient force to retain the valve in the closedposition.

In the design shown the upper end of the valve body 1 0 isvprovided With an internally threaded boss 39 into which the lower end of the tube 14 is threaded, howeven, it will be understood that the tube or reservoir may be'attached to the valve body by other suitable means.

A cap 31 having vents or openings 32 therethrough is threaded on the upper end of the tube 14 to provide a closure.

The lower end of the valve body It) is also provided with a boss 33, similar to the boss 36 and the upper end of the tube. 15 is. threaded into the boss 33. The lower end of the tuble 15 is threaded into the cap 21 and the cap is provided with an internally threaded hub 34 into which the buShingor gland 20 is threaded. The lower end, of the tubeiS is also provided with an opening 35, providing a vent to permit free downward movement of the piston 17.

The piston rod 19. is secured in an opening 35 in the piston 17 with a lock nut 37 that is threaded on the end of they rod, 19;"andthe opposite end of the rod i9 is provided with an eye 33 bvwhich the piston rod may be co hnectedjto veneerclippers, paper clippers, candy cutters, or parts of punch presses and the like.

The bypass 11 is connected by a coupling 39 to the upper part of the valve body it) and to a similar coupling 40 in the lower part of the valve body whereby the upper end of the bypass is in communication with the reservoir 26 and the lower end is in communication with the cylinder 16.

It will be understood that any suitable needle valve may be used however, in the design shown the needle valve is provided with a body into which a stem 41 is threaded and a point 42 on the end of the stem is positioned to coact with the valve seat 43 in the body of the valve. The outer end of the stem 41 is provided with a hand wheel 44 with which the position of the point 42 is adjusted to regulate the passage of fluid through the valve. The wheel 44 is secured on the end of the stem 41 with a screw 45.

It will be understood that the hydraulic interval timer may be in the form of an elbow, or the parts may be assembled as shown in Figure 6 wherein a cylinder 15 1 having a piston rod 19 extended through a packing gland 20 in a cap 21 on the extended end is attached by an elbow 49 and a nipple 50 to a valve body on the lower end of a reservoir 14, the parts being similar to corresponding parts of the design shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the valve body being provided with a bypass 11.

The details of the parts of the design shown in Figure 6 are substantially as illustrated in Figure 2, except that the cylinder 15, is turned to a horizontal position.

The upper end of the reservoir 14 is also provided with a cap 31.

The by-pass, needle valve and also the valve 12 perform the same function with the cylinder horizontally disposed, as with the cylinder vertically disposed.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described the point of the valve 12 may be set to regulate the time required for the fluid to pass back through the bypass from the cylinder to the reservoir 26 and with the lower end of the piston rod connected to a part of a machine, such as a single knife veneer clipper, a paper clipper, a candy cutter or a punch press or the like the part to which the rod 19 is connected is free to move downwardly with the fluid pulling the valve member 25 away from the seat whereby fluid in the reservoir 26 instantly passes through the valve body into the cylinder 16. The return movement, however, instantly closes the valve member 25 so that the fluid is forced to travel through the bypass 11 in passing upwardly from the cylinder to the reservoir and the point of the valve 12 is set to regulate the time required for the fluid to pass through the connection. By this means the return movement of the piston and rod 19 are accurately timed and the return movement of parts of machinery connected thereto is positively regulated.

The parts may be formed in different sizes and of different designs and the piston rod of a piston in the lower part of the device may be connected to parts of machinery by suitable means.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An interval timer comprising a valve body having threaded bosses on the opposite ends thereof, a valve in said valve body, a reservoir threaded into the boss on one end of said body and extended upwardly from said valve, a cylinder threaded into the boss on the opposite end thereof and extended from the valve body in diametrically opposed relation to said reservoir, resilient means urging the valve to the closed position, a piston in said cylinder, said valve positioned to open upon movement of the piston away from the valve, a piston rod extended from said piston, resilient means for urging said piston toward the valve, and a by-pass having a regulating valve therein connecting the cylinder to the reservan.

2. In an interval timer; the combination which comprises a vertically disposed casing having threaded bosses at the upper and lower ends thereof having a reservoir threaded in the boss at the upper end of a cylinder threaded in the boss at the lower end, a valve in the casing and positioned between the reservoir and cylinder, resilient means for urging said valve upwardly to a closed position, said valve being adapted to be drawn downwardly to open a passage therethrough with downward movement of the piston, resilient means for urging said piston upwardly, and a bypass having a regulating valve therein extended from the upper part of the casing to the lower part thereof, said casing having vent openings in the upper and lower ends thereof.

3. In an interval timer, the combination which comprises a valve body having threaded bosses on upper and lower ends thereof, a tube providing a reservoir threaded into the boss on the upper end of the valve body, a cap having vent openings therethrough threaded on the upper end of the tube forming the reservoir, a tube providing a cylinder threaded in the boss on the lower end of the valve body, a cap threaded on the lower end of the tube forming the cylinder, a piston in the tube forming the cylinder, a piston rod extended from the piston through the cap on the lower end of the tube, said piston rod having connecting means on the lower end thereof, a valve member positioned in said valve body and adapted to be drawn downwardly with downward movement of the piston, said valve member having a stem slidably mounted in said valve body, a spring on the stem of the valve member resiliently urging the valve member to the closed position, a by-pass extended from the upper part of the valve body to the lower part thereof, and a needle valve positioned in said by-pass and positioned to regulate the area of said by-pass.

4. In an interval timer, the combination which comprises a valve body, a valve in said valve body, threaded bosses on the opposite ends of said valve body, a reservoir threaded into the boss at one end of said valve body and extended upwardly from said valve, a nipple threaded into the boss at the opposite end of said valve body, an elbow connected to said nipple, a cylinder connected to said elbow and extended horizontally from the lower part of the valve, a by-pass having a needle valve therein connecting the cylinder to the reservoir, a piston in said cylinder and a piston rod extended from the piston through the extended end of the cylinder, said valve being adapted to open instantly as the piston moves away from the valve, and resilient means for urging the piston toward the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,754,764 Olson Apr. 15, 1930 2,156,117 Johnson Apr. 25, 1939 2,255,181 Newton Sept. 9, 1941 2,318,437 Vickers May 4, 1943 2,342,381 Thornhill Feb. 22, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 624,926 France Apr. 16, 1927 

